


Of Escapism and Permanence

by sorrow_key



Category: Pandora Hearts
Genre: (more or less) peaceful house of Fianna days, Gen, I accidentally wrote Elliot as crushing on Leo but no more than Canon, M/M, Slice of Life, canon-typical arguing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 22:03:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15694230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorrow_key/pseuds/sorrow_key
Summary: “Is that why you're always reading these fat, boring non-fiction books? I mean, what's this one?”Elliot twists to see the front page, not quite reckless enough to anger Leo by actually grabbing the book to take a look, and scornfully answers himself, “The biology of worms.”“That's not the title, did your ego grow so much you unlearned how to read in the months I haven't seen you?” Leo asks with that annoying brand of cheerfulness he's developed in his trash talking.(A snippet of a peaceful life.Containing a reference to the good place, 14/5 yr old kids getting to know each other the only way they know how,, arguing and a friendship very colored by romance, to put it in wildes words)





	Of Escapism and Permanence

**Author's Note:**

> Credit for the awesome idea for Leo to make fun of Elliot for avoiding cursing (bc of his family) to Licilou22.  
> Thanks !

Elliot audibly plops down on the floor besides Leo.

“You really don't have many books around here, do you?”

This is something Elliot is working on - he's gotten a good amount of books from their library together, all ready to be donated.

He won't tell Leo it was his idea, though - he'd only say some crap like Elliot trying to bribe him, and that's not the case at all! Plus, maybe then Leo will finally respect the Nightray house as he, coming from an orphanage founded by them, should.

Leo turns the page, without even acknowledging Elliot’s words.

“Hey, Leo.” He waves his hand in front of the page - although he's learned better than to disturb that incurable bookworm’s reading, it's just too irritating, the way he ignores Elliot even though it's been so long since they've seen each other.

“Is that why you're always reading these fat, boring non-fiction books? I mean, what's this one?”

Elliot twists to see the front page, not quite reckless enough to anger Leo by actually grabbing the book to take a look, and scornfully answers himself, “The biology of worms.”

“That's not the title, did your ego grow so much you unlearned how to read in the months I haven't seen you?” Leo asks with that annoying brand of cheerfulness he's developed in his trash talking.

Elliot bristles.

In moments like this, Elliot feels like Leo did that specifically to spite him. He can't currently remember him seeing him use this kind of sweet-faced insults against anyone but himself yet, but Leo must have, right?

He always ends up talking to Leo the most somehow, which makes it hard to tell.

…But if he's perfectly honest, he doesn't mind that. Though he'd never tell Leo that. He'd never let Elliot hear the end of it.

Besides, it's less violent than Leo used to be.

Before he can reply, Leo continues. “And I do like them. They're interesting.”

“They're not,” Elliot says with conviction. “And I _can_ read, I just don't feel like wasting my time on a title like that!”

“Don't you know that if you don't practice your skills, you'll lose them?” Leo smirks at him over those stupid bangs. “And they _are_ interesting. Your taste is just too shitty to appreciate anything besides trashy novels.”

“The novels I like aren't trashy, damn you, Leo!

But I call bullshirt, there's no way you actually like these kind of books. I've read ones like these for school and they're important, but not something people read for fun. You can't sink into them at all!”

“Bullshirt?” Leo actually lets his book sink at that, raising an eyebrow.

“Shut up.” Elliot’s face heats up in embarrassment. “It's what my siblings say.”

“I'm sure,” Leo says, amused, ”they definitely use it when you aren't around too.”

“How would you know!” Elliot snaps back. “You're just a commoner, after all.”

“Commoners have siblings too, you sponge-brained snob,” Leo says with strange mildness, "but you're right, I wouldn't know.”

Elliot falls into abashed silence. Sometimes he forgets just what kind of place he's in - if the kids here had living family, they wouldn't be here.

But that's no excuse for him.

“Stop looking like you kicked a puppy,” Leo says, wryly amused. “It's because I'm an only child, not because I'm an orphan.”

Elliot sputters, feeling stupid and backtracking, “I wasn't concerned! That much was obvious to begin with!”

“Sure you were,” Leo agrees with condescending ease.

This is something new too - when they first met, Leo barely replied at all except to disagree with Elliot and definitely not to say things he didn't mean, not even to be insultingly transparent about it.

Elliot doesn't know how to feel about it, so he responds by being wary when it happens and forgetting about it when it doesn't.

“But you're wrong,” Leo adds.

“Make up your mind!” Elliot demands.

”I was talking about books. Keep track of the conversations you start, Elliot.”

“You're the one who derailed it!”

“A blame game? How mature.”

Elliot starts, but catches himself. If he lets himself get into an argument with Leo now, that will happen again. The thought if Leo is doing it on purpose crosses his mind, but leaves as soon as it comes. 

Leo isn't one to keep quiet about it when he doesn't want to talk about something. 

“Whatever. What did you want to say, anyway?”

“You're wrong. It is possible to sink into non-fiction, just as it is to sink into fiction. That is… What makes books amazing,” Leo says, with a voice that's uncharacteristically soft and genuine.

And in that moment, Leo looks like he does when he plays piano; someone who people will naturally gather around. Like the glimpse Elliot caught of his eyes.

Beautiful.

Then Leo adds wryly, “So you were wrong to call bullshit on me. This is why you always lose card games that include bluffing, Elliot.”

“Shut up!” Elliot replies and challenges Leo to a game, and like that, the moment is gone.

But Elliot keeps it in his mind like a piece in a museum - permanent and untouched.


End file.
